Empathy Table Podcast Podcast

Empathy Table Podcast

Ideos Institute
THE TABLE. A space where ideas are shared about life, relationships, religion, and politics. It’s the space where ideas are formed and perspectives take shape. It is also the exact right place to discover empathy — how empathy, or a lack thereof, shapes and influences some of our world’s greatest challenges. At The Empathy Table, we discuss topics such as social justice, racial reconciliation, Christian witness and evangelism, religious pluralism, and more. Our goal is not only to capture the lessons learned from this moment but to begin building a better future in the process. Join us at the Empathy Table as we dive into the big issues one story, one perspective at a time.
S2. Bonus Episode: Empathy and Redemptive Entrepreneurship | Dave Blanchard
In this special bonus episode of the Empathy Table Podcast, Amar sits down with David Blanchard, CEO of Praxis Labs, a creative engine for redemptive entrepreneurship, supporting founders, funders, and innovators motivated by their faith to love their neighbors and renew culture. Amar and David discuss the mission of Praxis and how Dave understands the role empathy plays in the work of moving from exploitation to redemption. David describes Praxis’ “Redemptive Frame” and its application not only for entrepreneurs, but also for clergy, non-profits, and more. They focus on what “success” looks like for the Christian and how we might best contribute to the world. Amar and Dave conclude with advice for emerging leaders who are deeply passionate about moving their communities towards love, justice, and empathy. Dave concludes with three excellent quotes from Gustave Flaubert, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, and N. T. Wright.
Jun 1, 2022
S2. Ep 9. Empathy, Ecology, and Faith Formation | Lauren Grace Daniels
In this episode of the Empathy Table, Amar is joined by Lauren Daniels on the first ever CECPL Instagram LIVE. Lauren, a teacher and community gardener based in downtown Chicago, speaks to the interconnectedness of cultivating land and faith formation. Lauren speaks to how creation is dependent upon relationships at the intersection of life, death, and rebirth.
Aug 17, 2021
S2. Ep 8. Empathy in Christian and Public Life | Vincent Bacote
This week on the Empathy Table, Amar is joined by Dr. Vincent Bacote, Professor of Theology at Wheaton College and CECPL Advisory Council member. Vince and Amar talk about the theological grounding for empathy in Christian and public life. They discuss the work of “Reckoning with Race and Performing the Good News” and the importance of Jesus’ call to love our neighbors. Vince and Amar offer a robust understanding of empathy that goes beyond merely “feeling with.” By way of story and theory, they argue that empathy requires both a physical and cognitive move towards another that is both emotional and intellectual. In other words, it requires us to not only bear one another’s’ burdens emotionally, but also understand the complex realities behind the burden itself.
Aug 10, 2021
S2. Ep 7. Empathic Imagination, Mutual Flourishing, and Israel-Palestine | David Katibah
This week on the Empathy Table, Amar is joined by David Katibah, Program Assistant at Telos Group. David shares about his work atTelos which intersects with his story of growing up in a post-9/11 world as a person of mixed Middle Eastern heritage. Amar and David talk about the conflicts in Israel-Palestine and the reflexive defensiveness of Christians in support of Israel that contributes to a polarized imagination of winners and losers, rather than mutual flourishing. Amar encourages us to embrace an intellectual and empathic humility when engaging in these complex issues. David reminds us that our aim is for mutual liberation—the marginalized from oppression and oppressors from the lies of colonization and power that inhibit their own true flourishing. True, mutual flourishing only exists when both oppressor and oppressed are released from the bondage of this binary imagination. Amar and David also discuss the need for repentance and transformation within the church, and our call to build, with Christ, a kingdom of Shalom.
Jul 26, 2021
S2. Ep 6. An Empathic Vision for "One America"| Andrew Hanauer
Amar is joined this week by Andrew Hanauer, President and CEO of the One America Movement. Andrew and Amar talk about the unprecedented toxicity of the polarization we see in our zero-sum world today, the aspirational title of “One America,” and the role of leaders and communities of faith in healing our nation. Andrew emphasizes the need for relationships of trust across lines of difference in this work of redemptive change, the misapplication and detrimental distribution of empathy, and where the work of depolarization is located socially. Amar also shares his thoughts on Saint Augustine’s understanding of vulnerability being at the heart of empathy, compassion, and mercy.
Jul 20, 2021
S2. Ep 5. The Redemptive Possibility of the Internet | Eric Brown & Taylor Jones
This week, Amar is joined by Eric Brown and Taylor Jones, co-founders of Whiteboard. They talk about the complex digital landscape of the internet and wonder together how we might redeem the exploitative tendencies of social media in order to foster hospitable spaces of constructive change. Taylor observes an overemphasis on infinite scaling that only concerns “value capture” rather than “value creation,” and how the internet was created to be a space of human connection and collaboration. Eric talks about the necessary work of naming and embracing tension in the in-between, gray spaces of life, how we need to teach the next generation to not only interact face-to-face, but screen-to-screen. They discuss the hard work of restoration, redemption, and anti-racism, as well as the need to ask “why” and take part in the work of change, rather than placing the burden of change on someone else.
Jul 13, 2021
S2. Ep 4. Practicing Empathy in Loving our Neighbor | Kevin Singer
This week, Amar is joined by Kevin Singer, Co-Founder and Co-Director of Neighborly Faith. Amar and Kevin talk about the felt need that Neighborly Faith is addressing, intersection of empathy and multi-faith work, the hospitable and invitational nature of both Christian and Islamic faith, and Gospel proclamation through faithful presence. Kevin speaks to some of the disingenuous ways that Christians have approached these inter-religious relationships—like valuing Christian conversion over genuine friendship—and how Christians might re-frame these relationships in a way that deeply humanizing and glorifying to God.
Jun 29, 2021
S2. Ep 3. The Prophetic Work of Empathy | Danté Stewart
This week on the Empathy Table Amar is joined by Danté Stewart. Amar and Dante talk about the way that white evangelicalism has shaped them both for better or worse and how they’ve moved out of these spaces. Danté shares his thoughts on the diversity of Black thought in America, the process of writing his new book “Shoutin’ in the Fire” as a living epistle, the revolutionary act of storytelling, and how he sees empathy playing a prophetic role in our world today.
Jun 22, 2021
S2. Ep 2. Empathy as Translation | Emanuel Padilla
This week at the Empathy Table, we are joined by Dr. Michelle Ami Reyes. Michelle and Amar speak from their shared Indian American identity about the importance of naming, articulating, and embracing our cultural narrative, the role of empathy in faithful Christian practice, moving our churches towards true, multi-cultural worshiping communities, and how Paul’s claim to “become all things to all people” helps us in all these tasks.
Jun 15, 2021
S2. Ep 1. Practicing Empathy by "Becoming All Things” | Michelle Ami Reyes
This week at the Empathy Table, we are joined by Dr. Michelle Ami Reyes. Michelle and Amar speak from their shared Indian American identity about the importance of naming, articulating, and embracing our cultural narrative, the role of empathy in faithful Christian practice, moving our churches towards true, multi-cultural worshiping communities, and how Paul’s claim to “become all things to all people” helps us in all these tasks.
Jun 7, 2021